A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to individual containers for hypodermic syringes. More particularly, the invention relates to a disposable container for hypodermic syringes which protects against inadvertent contact with the syringe needle before and after the syringe is used.
B. Discussion of Background Art
The use of hypodermic syringes has always posed a certain degree of risk to health care professionals, chiefly, doctors and nurses. Inadvertent contact with the sharp needle point by some part of the body of a person administering an injection can cause an unwanted injection of a drug contained in the syringe. However, since the amount of fluid which can be inadvertently injected is usually quite small, such accidental injections do not usually pose a serious health hazard.
A much greater hazard to users of hypodermic syringes is the potential contact with a needle that has been used to administer an injection or draw blood from a patient afflicted with a contagious disease. Accidental inoculation with a needle which has been used transcutaneously on a patient can result in the health care professional contracting a serious disease such as hepatitis.
Concern about the problem of accidental inoculation by a contaminated hypodermic syringe needle has increased along with the population growth and increased levels of health care usage of procedures involving hypodermic syringes. This concern has increased dramatically in the recent past, with the proliferation of individuals carrying the AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) virus. Bearing in mind that there is presently no known cure for this debilitating and deadly disease which has a 100% mortality rate, the high level of concern is well justified.
For the reasons stated above, there is a keen awareness among health care professionals of the necessity of taking substantial precautionary measures to avoid contacting a contaminated hypodermic syringe needle. Also, there is an awareness of the risk of using a hypodermic syringe which has been previously used or tampered with. These two concerns have prompted the development of a number of prior art devices intended to minimize the possibility of contacting a contaminated needle, or using a previously used or contaminated hypodermic syringe. Typical of such prior art protective devices are those disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: Ogle, 3,272,322, Sept. 13, 1966, Syringe Package, which discloses a tamper indicating syringe package. Haller, 4,026,287, May 31, 1977, Syringe With Retractable Cannula, which discloses a syringe in which the cannula or needle may be withdrawn inside a protective barrel after use. Windischman, 4,106,622, Aug. 15, 1978, Tamper-Resistant Rigid Syringe Package And Method Of Making Same, which discloses a syringe package having a closure cap which visibly deforms if the cap is replaced on the closure, thereby indicating prior tampering. The cap may be replaced only with difficulty, and the package is therefore not designed to be re-used as a disposal unit. Mitchell, 4,631,057, Dec. 23, 1986, Shielded Needle, which discloses a hypodermic syringe with an integral telescopable shield, and Nelson, 4,659,330, Apr. 21, 1987, Hypodermic Syringe Needle Guard, which discloses an elongated protective needle guard cap for hypodermic syringes which has a flexible extension arm to keep the hands well away from the needle when replacing the cap on the needle.
The present invention was devised to provide a reusable tamper resistant package for hypodermic syringes in which a contaminated needle and syringe may be safely stored and disposed.